High school graduation comes around only once in a lifetime, and administration and staff at local high schools are taking steps to ensure that graduating seniors have an occasion to remember – even if that process may be a little different than usual with the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced public schools around the state to close for the remainder of the school year.
The Forrest County School District has postponed graduation, and principals have been in contact with seniors and parents to get their input on what graduation will look like. District Superintendent Brian Freeman said although a final decision has yet to be made, feedback suggests that most students and parents are in favor of having some type of ceremony.
“So that could be as early as July, or as late as December – who knows,” he said. “But we told them for sure that if they wanted to have a ceremony, we’ll certainly give them one, just as soon as we get it cleared to do that.”
Freeman said no matter when the ceremony is held, officials definitely want it to be special, especially given the patience and understanding that students, parents and staff have shown throughout the course of school closures.
“Certainly, the circumstances of what led up to this is going to be special in itself,” he said. “But we don’t want them to miss out on something that they had their hopes for.
“Depending on the guidance that we get, graduation is obviously going to look a little different, and it may not be in the same facilities, or with as many (attendees) there. But we’ll certainly give them what they want.
Forrest County School District staff are also being creative with endeavors like Senior Awards Night and the possibility of an outside movie night with awards.
“We’re looking at a lot of different options – we want to make it memorable for them, obviously,” Freeman said.
Officials from the Petal School District are still deciding on the best-case scenario for graduation given the rapidly-changing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control as well as state and local government. School staff recently held a parent information webinar on YouTube Live and have talked with student council members to get feedback on the matter.
“We’re taking all that feedback, and we’re going to select whatever we think is the best scenario at the time,” District Superintendent Matt Dillon said. “Ultimately, we’re committed to providing the best graduation ceremony we can within reason, so we still have not finalized those (plans), but they’ll be coming out sooner rather than later.”
Although officials are still holding out for a physical ceremony, Petal schools will stick to any issued guidelines. Administration also is preparing for a worst-case scenario in the event that a physical ceremony will not be allowed.
“We’re preparing for what another type of graduation ceremony might look like,” Dillon said. “A hundred percent, our goal is that we’re going to honor our senior class to the best of our ability under the circumstances.”
The Lamar County School District will hold an alternate graduation plan for its four high schools – Oak Grove, Sumrall, Purvis and Lumberton – that was recently approved by the district’s board. The district will contract with a videographer to create an individualized graduation video for each high school, and the graduation “ceremony” will take place at each respective school.
Graduates are allowed to arrive with four guests, on set dates and at set times, in order to participate in the segmented graduation ceremony. Forehead temperature scans will be taken at the entrance, and any guests who arrive after the graduate enters the building will not be allowed inside.
The final video will include all graduates who wish to participate, and students will only be allowed to take part in the ceremony if they have met all requirements for graduation and are dressed in the approved cap and gown. Participation is not required.
Caps, gowns and accessories will be distributed by each high school during the week of May 11, with the segmented ceremonies taking place the week of May 18. More details will be sent to high school principals on May 5.
“High school graduation is one of those pivotal moments for our students,” said Ross Randall, the district’s director of technology, in a letter. “They watch others participate for years in advance of their turn. They know what graduation should look like and sound like.
“Unfortunately, this year it will look and sound a little different. It will be as similar as we can make it given our current circumstances. It will be very memorable and they will graduate. They will hear their name called, walk across a stage and have a video record of it all.”
Because the usual graduation location of Reed Green Coliseum will not be available, officials from the Hattiesburg Public School District are tentatively planning to move commencement ceremonies – which are currently scheduled for May 22 – to an outdoor site and to livestream the event. If a community gathering is deemed unsafe at this time, officials will explore the option of hosting the ceremony virtually.
Seniors who have previously passed the U.S. History, Biology I, Algebra I, and English II classes, but did not pass the end-of-year assessment, will not be required to pass the assessment in order to graduate. Seniors enrolled in a half-credit course during the fourth term will be required to meet modified course requirements (digital learning/paper packets) in order to meet requirements for a diploma.
Seniors who have met the minimum graduation requirements of 21 Carnegie units will be eligible for graduation, assuming they have met all local requirements. Seniors who are determined to be in jeopardy of not graduating must make every effort to work with their teachers, school counselors and the school administration for the remainder of the year to ensure their grades are on track for graduation.
“High school graduation is an important milestone, and we will do all that we can to ensure that the Class of 2020 is able to participate in this significant occasion,” Superintendent Robert Williams said in a statement.
Donna Boone, superintendent of Forrest County Agricultural High School, said the administration has sent out a survey to seniors for input on what kind of graduation ceremony they would prefer.
“We are still collecting that data and hope to have an alternate plan by later (this) week,” she said.
